Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has proposed a significant shift in local governance, calling for the government to grant regional mayors the power to introduce tourist taxes. The proposal aims to provide local authorities with new revenue streams, which could be used to fund regional infrastructure, public services, or tourism-related initiatives. Under the current system, such levies are not universally available to local leaders, and Burnham’s push seeks to decentralize this fiscal authority.

The proposal has met with immediate pushback from the hospitality sector. Industry representatives argue that imposing additional costs on visitors could discourage tourism, potentially leading to a decline in bookings and threatening jobs within the sector. Critics of the plan emphasize that the hospitality industry is already operating under tight margins and that a new tax could make regional destinations less competitive compared to those without such levies.

While the debate centers on the balance between local funding needs and economic growth, there is currently no consensus on how such a tax would be structured or implemented. Burnham’s office suggests that local control would allow for tailored approaches that reflect the specific needs of each region, whereas industry groups maintain that any additional financial burden on visitors is counterproductive to the broader goal of regional economic recovery.